Fire and Stone
by Aneirin
Summary: An ancient entity known has Eve has awoken in New York. Aya Brea finds herself facing this threat, but not alone. She has help, in the form of another ancient race: the Gargoyles.


Author's note: Hey everybody! Welcome to my first actual usage of the crossover system! I've written crossovers before, but never actually used the system. Also? First Gargoyles fic AND first Parasite eve fic. I hope you all enjoy.

Side-Note: this is important: for those of you who haven't read the comics, the character of Brooklyn has gone through some changes due to a time-travel adventure. As I have future plans that involve that heavily, Brooklyn as of this story will reflect those changes. So take that as your spoiler warning for the series, ok? (Read the TimeDancer Arc first if you have the chance, k?)

On with the show!

* * *

Christmas Eve in New York City was a very big deal. The whole town knew just how to do it up. Lights and decorations were everywhere. Christmas parties were being hosted tonight by the hundreds. And yet Aya Brea found herself at the Carnegie Hall, of all places, to attend an opera. Her date, a young guy named Brandon, had gotten the tickets through his father. Going to the opera had been her decision, though in hindsight she couldn't pinpoint exactly why.

She was greeted by the men standing outside the Hall, and then by the nice fellow outside the theater itself. He opened the door for them as Brandon flashed the tickets. Aya had to give him the fact that he did have a winning smile, but she still wasn't too sure about this date.

"We're going to have some of the best seats in the house," said Brandon. "Aren't you at least a bit excited?"

"Oh, yes, of course," said Aya. She was more interested in the show they were attending, though, one simply titled Eva. It was supposedly about doomed love, or a sinister woman, depending on what you interpreted from it.

They took their seats, and the lights dimmed. The orchestra began playing, and the actors took the stage. Aya smiled at the atmosphere. It might be a pleasant night after all.

888

In a castle high atop the tallest skyscraper in Manhattan, it had been an hour since nearly a dozen stone creatures had come roaring to life. The largest of the creatures, a gargoyle named Goliath, stood looking out over the skyline. It was surprisingly peaceful tonight.

Lexington, the shortest of the gargoyles besides a youngling named Gnash, was busy placing last minute decorations with Goliath's daughter Angela, Angela's mate Broadway was busy checking on a turkey he was cooking for the big night they had planned. Hudson, the eldest member of the Clan, sat enjoying a movie on the television, called It's a Wonderful Life. The two gargoyle beasts, Bronx and Fu-Dog, were wrestling with one another.

The only two who didn't seem to be enjoying themselves were Gnash's parents, two beaked gargoyles named Katana and Brooklyn, Goliath's second-in-command. By extension, this meant that Goliath was not having as good a time.

"But you have not told me what is troubling you," said Katana, her blue claw on Brooklyn's red shoulder. Brooklyn's good eye looked out over the city.

"Something is wrong tonight," he said.

"What do you mean?" asked Goliath, approaching. Brooklyn's eye swivelled over to Goliath. The sight was unpleasant to the larger gargoyle. Before Brooklyn had gone through his ordeal, he had been younger, and whole. He came back from being swept through time, and had lived through forty years of time travel and uncertainty, though he'd only been gone from their own time for forty seconds. He'd been returned to them older, more experienced, and with a missing eye that he had yet to explain.

"Remember how I said I got close to being home once, when I was being shuffled through time?" asked Brooklyn.

"Yes," said Goliath.

"Well," Brooklyn continued, "When I got close, I learned a bit about some things that happened between when I left and when I got to where, or rather when, I was."

"Dangerous information," said Goliath.

"I know," said Brooklyn. "I did my best not to learn anything about the clan, but... something happened. Something happened during one Christmas in the gap between now and then. But I don't know what it was."

"Do not trouble yourself with it," said Goliath. "If we were meant to be involved, I'm sure we will be."

"Hey guys," said a voice from behind them. They turned around, Brooklyn and Goliath's discomfort momentarily forgotten. It was Elisa Maza, their truest friend in the world.

"Elisa!" exclaimed Goliath happily. With careful ease, he picked her up, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. She smiled at him.

"Brought the parents by for Christmas dinner," she said, "so I'll have to give you your present later." Goliath put her down and looked over to see the Maza clan. They were a good family, one who had taken to the sudden and unexpected inclusion of gargoyles in their lives, despite the trouble it had sometimes caused them.

"And your brother?" asked Goliath.

"Derek said he'd be by," said Elisa. "He, Maggie, and the rest of the Labyrinth Clan have their own plans tonight. But he and Maggie did want to come and meet them, let them know that a grandson is on the way."

"Will they take that news well?" asked Brooklyn.

"Mutate or no, a Maza is a Maza," answered Elisa. She got a better look at Brooklyn. "You okay?"

"I dunno," said Brooklyn.

"He is worried," said Katana. "But he will not say why."

"Or can not," said Goliath.

"Time travel?" asked Elisa. Brooklyn nodded. "Well then, there may be no good in-" she was cut off by a sudden exclamation. It was Hudson.

"What's all this, then?" he demanded. The group turned to look at him. His movie had been interrupted.

"-reports of panic, and possibly a fire at Carnegie Hall," a reporter was saying, some confusion evident on her face. "However, there does not appear to be smoke, and only one person has so far left the building." Brooklyn's eye widened, and he got closer to the TV, pushing others out of the way.

"Watch it!" exclaimed Lexington.

"Hang on," said Brooklyn, turning the volume up.

"The sole witness to emerge thus far claimed that patrons of the theater began to, and this may be hard to believe, New York, but they began to spontaneously combust. Cops are arriving on the scene right now, but no one can get near the building without feeling an intense heat, and-" At this point, Brooklyn muted the TV.

"Guys," he said, "We need to get to Carnegie Hall, and now."

"What's going on?" asked Elisa.

"I don't know all the details," said Brooklyn. "But I know for a fact that we need to be there tonight."

888

It all happened with no warning. The lead actress, the woman portraying Eva, had begun her aria. And then, seemingly impossibly, she had looked straight at Aya. Aya swore that the woman's eyes had been brown on the poster advertising the show, but they were suddenly a brilliant, pale green. And that's when the other actors on stage burst into flames.

People in the crowd were stunned, and for a moment some of them believed it was some kind of special effect. This belief was shattered when several members of the audience began to combust. A panicked rush for the doors began, but it was too late. The audience members were catching fire 3 or more at a time. Aya had almost no time to react. In moments, the whole audience was silent, except for her, and her date.

"Wh-what, what happened?!" he cried. "I don't, I can't-" Aya shoved him to the side, pulling out the gun she'd had hidden under her nice dress.

"Get out of here!" she exclaimed. Brandon just nodded and ran. Aya in turn also ran, straight towards the stage. Taking the stairs with ease despite her dress, she was up in moments, with her gun trained on the actress.

"Freeze, NYPD!" she shouted. The actress looked at her.

"Strange," she said. "You're the only one who was unaffected."

"What?" asked Aya.

"Can't you hear them, dear?" she asked. "Your mitochondria. They're calling out to you. It's time to awaken!" Aya had no idea what this woman was babbling about, but she was a hundred percent sure of one thing: this lady had killed everyone in this room, somehow. She didn't have time to wonder though, as the woman began floating, and her hands began glowing.

As surprised as Aya was, she was able to dodge a light beam that erupted from the woman's hands. Aya fired her gun, shooting the woman point blank in the head. Her head snapped back, and she was still. Then she began laughing. She tilted her head forward, and Aya could see the bullet hole slowly closing over, leaving a very faint scar in its place. Suddenly, Aya felt like she was on fire.

"Wh-why do I feel so hot?!" demanded Aya, gun still trained on the woman in front of her. "What are you doing to me?!"

"Our bodies are speaking to each other," answered the woman. "Can't you hear it?"

"Who are you?!"

"Surely you know that already," said the woman. "I am Eve. Don't you remember? After all, you should know better than anyone."

"Wh-what?" asked Aya. Suddenly her head hurt, and her vision went white. She saw a hospital room, two beds... and as suddenly as it had begun it was gone. Aya shook her head. The woman's hands glowed again, and in response Aya fired several rounds at her, all of which hit, but did not seem to do any lasting damage beyond ripping her dress.

Eve simply laughed, and began to float away at high speed.

"Wait!" ordered Aya. It was too late. She was alone on stage now. She did not know what was going on. But she was going to find out.

888

The gargoyles landed on the rooftop of a nearby building, looking out at the scene unfolding at Carnegie Hall. Goliath set Elisa down, and she took out a small pair of binoculars from her jacket.

"Cops and EMTs everywhere" she said, "But no victims. They're all standing at a distance from the place too."

"Well," said Brooklyn, "We need to find a way in, one way or another." He looked around. "We'll glide around back and take the roof. Goliath, you take Elisa down and see if she can get in on her own. Join us afterwards."

"Of course," said Goliath. He looked at the red gargoyle. "You are sure there are no details you can give us?" Brooklyn shook his head.

"I can't say, for now," he said. "I'll know when the time is right to say anything, if I can."

"Then let's go," said Goliath. "We need to see if anyone is trapped in there, and if we can help anyone get out alive."

* * *

Since I realize I didn't open with this, I'll say it now: going to be following the plot of Parasite Eve 1 as the backbone of the story. Interestingly, the game starts just a little bit after the comics left off (both in 1997 by my estimates) so that was part of my decision to do it the way I am doing it. Hope you folks will enjoy.


End file.
